Battery Mendell

Colonel George Mendell, a distinguished engineer, wouldn’t have imagined his name gracing a concrete behemoth like Battery Mendell. Here at Fort Barry, in the Marin Headlands, Battery Mendell stands as a silent sentinel. Battery Mendell began its life in July 1901. A key component of the San Francisco harbor defenses, Battery Mendell bristled with two 12-inch rifles. These massive guns sat upon disappearing carriages, a marvel of engineering that allowed them to recoil and reload below the parapet. Colonel Mendell oversaw the construction of many batteries around San Francisco Bay. His legacy is etched into the concrete of this very structure. Initially, Battery Mendell relied on a 54-horsepower gasoline engine to power its electric plant, generating 25 kilowatts. This powered the two retracting motors of the gun carriage. Interestingly, there were no motors for traversing or elevation. Ammunition handling at Battery Mendell evolved. It originally used Hodges back delivery projectile hoists. Plans were made in 1914 to upgrade to Taylor-Raymond electric hoists for newer, long-point projectiles. It is unclear whether this upgrade was actually implemented. Photos from the early 1940s do show long-point projectiles in use. Battery Mendell stood vigilant through World War I, its guns spared from the wartime redistribution that sent many coastal defense guns to Europe. The quiet hum of the electric plant, the clang of the massive breech blocks, the distant rumble of the waves crashing against the shore – these were the sounds of Battery Mendell in its prime. World War II brought change. The completion and reactivation of Battery Wallace in 1943 rendered Battery Mendell obsolete. In December 1943, its powerful guns were removed and sent back to the Watervliet Arsenal. The carriages, once marvels of engineering, were ordered scrapped in July of the same year. Today, Battery Mendell stands silent, its guns long gone. Yet, its concrete walls still echo with the stories of the men who served here, guarding the entrance to San Francisco Bay. Here at Fort Barry, Battery Mendell serves as a reminder of a bygone era of coastal defense, a monument to Colonel Mendell’s enduring legacy.